Chocolate
by Augusta
Summary: Never come between a woman and her chocolate. PG13 for some mild language.


Chocolate

Summary: Never come between a woman and her chocolate. (GSR)

Disclaimer: Do you really think I'd be writing fanfiction about CSI if I owned it?

"I am extraordinarily patient, provided I get my own way in the end."

-William Dement

At 12:00 a.m. Sara found herself staring at the Las Vegas Police Department's sole vending machine, contemplating the very important issue of what type of chocolate to choose. Since the Snickers and 3 Musketeers were out of stock, she opted for a plain chocolate bar.

After making her way back to the break room and starting a fresh pot of coffee, she leaned back against the counter, eager to open her candy bar. When Warrick, Nick, and Catherine walked in she looked at her watch. Realizing she wouldn't have enough time to eat her precious chocolate, she stuck it in the mini-fridge behind the jar of chocolate grasshoppers. She figured it was a safe place to hide it since only 1 person ever ate the chocolate-coated crunchy-critters and she was pretty sure Grissom wouldn't eat her candy bar.

The 4 CSI's congregated around the table, awaiting their fearless leader. Nick leaned back in his chair. "Shouldn't Greggo be here?"

"He's been in the lab for the last 2 hours. Probably lost track of time." Sara said.

Grissom walked in a few seconds later with 3 slips of paper. "Okay, Catherine. You've got a trick roll at the Luxor."

Catherine took the paper, scanned it, and went to stand. "Pick up Greg on your way out."

"Why me?" Catherine groaned as she flopped back in her chair.

"I'd like you to supervise his last proficiency test. You put in the application for day shift supervisor and you might have to deal with this sort of thing if, sorry, when you're chosen."

He turned back to the rest of his crew. "Sara, you're meeting Conroy at a suspicious circumstance on the East side of town. Nick, you and Warrick have got a DB at the Hilton. According to Brass it seems 1 of the Borg there tried to assimilate a waitress."

The 2 men gave each other confused looks before turning back to Grissom.

"Take Archie with you, this is his territory." Grissom flipped the slip of paper at them.

"So, what'll you be doing?" Sara queried.

Grissom's face turned morose. "2 months backlog of paperwork."

She winced. "Sorry I asked."

Catherine made a beeline for the door before Grissom could ask her to stay and help and the other 3 quickly followed suit.

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Greg leaned back on his heels to look in the Luxor hotel room at the sullen man sitting on the end of the bed. He had come to Vegas for a good time and instead had literally, gotten the clothes off his back stolen. His head hung low and he had a blanket wrapped around him to try and cover up the fact that all he had on him was a pair of fluorescent green boxers.

"Guy's name is Derek LeMay. Says he's from Iowa on vacation with a few buddies. Had a bet going with them last night that could get lucky with only 50 bucks," the officer at the scene said.

Catherine didn't even crack a smile. "Guess he lost that bet."

"Unfortunately we don't have anything to prove or disprove his story."

"That's where we come in." Greg piped up. "So, who did the deed?"

"Prostitute named Candy Lane. Real name's Cynthia Langly."

Catherine's brow furrowed. "How do you know that?"

The officer handed over an evidence bag. "Seems she was in such a hurry to leave, she didn't realize she dropped her wallet. I recognized her picture."

Catherine gave the young officer a questioning smirk.

"…from a previous arrest. Nothing like what you're thinking!"

"Great, now we're gonna have to track down a hooker." Catherine sighed.

Greg looked over her shoulder at the bag. "What's in the wallet?"

Catherine slipped on a pair of gloves and picked through the wallet. "Driver's license, couple of credit cards, organ donor's card, picture of some guy-not bad lookin', and about 7 dollars."

"Why don't we just leave it down at the front desk?"

"Then she'd get it back."

"Exactly. She'll want to come back to get her credit cards and license. We can just nab her when she comes to check the hotel's lost and found."

Catherine stood looking at him for a few seconds. "You know Greg, that's not a bad idea."

Greg smiled, a bit embarrassed. "I do have a few good ones. Now then, how about an early breakfast in that lovely restaurant downstairs?"

"Great. You're buying. But first, I need you to process the scene. "

Greg's voice turned whiny. "Why do I have to do it all by myself?"

"Because."

"Give me 1 good reason."

"This is your last proficiency."

Catherine had never seen Greg move so fast or efficiently before that moment.

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Across town, Grissom had taken a short break from his mountain of paperwork and was rifling through the fridge in search of something sweet. The taste of the anchovy pizza he'd eaten last night still clung to his breath and the salty fish taste was better the first time around than the second. He'd eaten the last of his chocolate grasshoppers and still hadn't quelled his hankering for chocolate. His eyes lit up when he happened upon an unopened candy bar. He thought for a second and then shrugged. Everyone knew that the fridge was open territory unless the food was marked specifically for someone and the chocolate bar wasn't.

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At the Hilton Nick and Warrick bent down over the supine body encased in a black fiberglass costume. The little bit of skin that did show was a painted a pasty white and was almost ethereal looking next to the clunky black of the Borg costume. The fake eye implant blinked offensively until Warrick found the power pack built into the costume and flipped it off with the tip of his pen.

"How long has he been here?" Warrick said as he pulled a pair of gloves out of his kit.

Brass looked at the small notebook in his hand. "Victim says it happened about an hour ago."

They all turned to look at the waitress who stood outside in the hall with Archie, who was eagerly asking her questions and keeping her out of the way, for the time being. The young lab tech handed her a tissue from his pocket and she tried to smooth out her blue medical-science uniform but the super-short skirt just wouldn't oblige her.

Brass spoke again as they turned back to the costumed man. "Janine, the victim, said that Tommy, the 'Borg' in front of you, hauled her up here on her break and tried to force himself on her. Seems they've been going out for about a month now and he thought they should take it a little further. She didn't agree and retaliated with the phone a couple of times."

Nick snapped on a pair of gloves. "That must be some serious face paint he's got on. Otherwise, we'd be seeing some major bruises if she bashed his head with that phone. Paint on the phone confirms that part of her story, though."

He turned to Jim. "David here yet?"

The detective shook his head. "He got held up at another scene. He said he'd be here ASAP."

Warrick peeled back the man's eyelids to find his pupils were pinpricks. "I'd say this dude was majorly trippin' when all this went down."

"According to Archie, the Borg are some kind of human-machine-cyborgs. So, what would a machine be doing with chemicals?" Nick asked with a cocky smirk.

Warrick shook his head. "You're getting way too into this whole sci-fi, Star Trek thing man."

He let out a loud expletive and jumped strait back into Jim when the eyes he'd been looking into rolled to the side to look back at him. "I don't think he's dead."

The 'Borg' groaned and Nick went to call in the EMT's. It looked like this was Brass' case, not theirs.

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Detective Erin Conroy left the weeping woman with a young officer to talk to Sara. "Looks like we've got not only a B and E, but a kidnapping, too."

Sara shook her head. "Any sign of a ransom letter?"

"Nope. Mother said she woke up when she heard a loud crash and her dog barking and went down stairs to find her patio door broken and a couple of baubles missing. When she went back upstairs to check on Bill, her son, he wasn't there."

"Damn, damn, and double damn."

"Amen."

Sara picked up her kit. "I'll be around back if you need me."

"We chained the dog up back there for now." Erin called to her retreating back.

Sara just waved back over her shoulder. Rounding the corner of the house she was immediately set upon by a flying furball of fury that was the family dog. The giant Dane-Labrador mix eagerly licked her face.

"Down boy." The dog immediately dropped onto its haunches, its butt and tail wagging wildly, and watched as she went to work.

"At least they've got you trained." She murmured to no one but herself.

Sara turned to the scene. Something about it was putting out weird vibes. There was glass littered everywhere…everywhere, except inside the house where 1 would suppose it would be if someone had broken in. There was no B and E here. That meant that either the mother was lying or something else went down here.

The dog barking up a tree tore her away from her thoughts. The massive canine had somehow yanked the stake that held his chain in the ground out and was trying to climb up a tree, possibly after a squirrel or some other small furry mammal.

But following her gut she stood next to the excited dog as it bounced on its back legs, trying in vain to climb the tree. She looked up at what the dog was barking at and did find a small mammal; a boy looked back at her with large blue eyes.

"Am I in twouble?"

"Are you Bill?"

The young boy nodded his curly dark-brown head. "Uh-huh. And that Cwifford."

She looked at the behemoth still bouncing insanely next to her.

"Mommy wet me name him."

"Why'd you pick Clifford?"

"Cause he look like Cwifford da big wed dog."

"Well, why don't you come with me and Clifford and we'll go see your mom."

He shook his head. "Nu-uh. I gonna get in twouble."

Sara lowered her arms. "Why?"

"Cause I few Mommy's glass ball twoo da back door."

"Are you allowed to play with Mommy's glass ball?"

He shook his head again. "Nu-uh. But Cwifford want to pway wiff it, so I twoo it an bwoke da door. Now I gonna get in twouble."

She raised her arms again. "How about you come with me and I'll explain everything to her."

Bill thought for a second and then nodded before climbing down to her. He yawned and rubbed his eyes.

"I think it's past your bedtime. What were you doing up so late?"

"Siwwy. I towd you. Cwifford want to pway fetch."

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Upon entering the break room, Sara found Warrick and Nick playing their favorite video game.

"Shouldn't you guys be working on that DB?"

"DB wasn't a DB. Guy was just knocked out and high." Nick said.

Warrick paused the game and turned to her. "How 'bout you?"

Sara opened the mini-fridge. "3-year-old boy accidentally broke the patio door with a glass bauble when he was playing fetch in the middle of the night."

Nick chuckled. "Boys will be boys."

Before he could say anything more Sara shrieked. "Who the hell took my chocolate bar!?"

Nick and Warrick both held up their hands.

"Don't look at us, girl." Warrick said.

Her eyes turned murderous. "Ooh, Greg…"

Nick tentatively held up a finger. "Greggo's still out in the field."

Sara's brow furrowed for a second and then her eyes got wide. "He wouldn't. He wouldn't dare."

The 2 men watched as she stormed out the door and cringed at what came floating back. "GRISSOM!"

"50 bucks says she kills him with her bare hands."

"100 says we won't find the body."

The 2 shook hands and went back to their game.

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"GRISSOM!"

Grissom's head jerked up at the sound of his name. He popped another piece of chocolate in his mouth as his door swung open with a bang and Billy Bass started singing 'Take Me to the River.'

"Sara, what can I do for you?"

"You!"

"Me?"

"Where's my chocolate bar?"

He looked down at the last piece of the candy bar sitting on the open wrapped and swallowed audibly. "That was…your chocolate?"

She just stared at him from the door.

He tried to shrug his shoulders nonchalantly and held his hands up in supplication. "You know that anything in the mini-fridge is up for grabs unless it's labeled. You didn't label it. What was I supposed to think?"

"But I…but…" Sara closed her mouth and curled her hands in frustration. She took a deep breath, let it out slowly and unclenched her fists. "I just want my chocolate."

Grissom sighed as he took off his glasses and folded his hands on his desk in front of him. "What would you have me do?"

A sudden look came over her face, like she'd just had an epiphany. Then she smirked and nudged the door closed with her hip and Grissom felt extremely uneasy.

Sara slowly walked over to his desk until her legs butted up against the edge. She reached over and nabbed the last piece of chocolate and slipped it in her mouth, closing her eyes as she enjoyed what seemed to be the most sinfully sweet chocolate imaginable. When it had dissolved, what seemed hours later to Grissom, Sara leaned over and placed her hands on his desk, giving him an optimal view right down the front of her shirt.

"I want the rest of my chocolate."

Grissom licked his suddenly dry lips and forcefully pulled his eyes back up to hers. "I-I can't do…that."

"I want the rest of my chocolate Grissom. Why won't you give it to me?"

"I…uh…I ate it al-already."

She stood up and began to slowly round his desk. "That's a shame, because I really want my candy bar."

"I'm sorry Sara, that I can't help you."

"But, Gris. I really, _really_ wanted that chocolate bar." She nudged her way in between his knees.

"I, uh…I told you that I already ate it."

Her hands were suddenly gripping the armrests of his chair and she was leaning perilously close to him. Her nose barely brushed his. "Oh, look. There's some chocolate you didn't eat."

His eyes darted around, trying to look anywhere but at her. "Where?"

"Right there."

His eyes widened in shock as she slowly licked his lower lip. His hands searched for something to grab onto as the room began to spin. The first things they landed on were her wrists and he clutched at them for dear life.

She drew her head back and smiled down at him. "Oops. I missed some."

She dipped her head and kissed the corner of his mouth, her tongue darting out again to lick at the small dab of chocolate. Grissom's eyes closed and he drew a sharp breath through his nose.

She grinned when she brought her head back up and found him gazing at her with a slightly dazed expression. "You owe me a chocolate bar now."

He blinked a few times and then raised an eyebrow.

Her grin grew into 1 of her patent Sara-smiles. "Actually, you owe me 2."

The other eyebrow came up.

"You know, for making me work for what little chocolate I got."

She went to push off the chair and found her wrists held firmly in place. "Um, Grissom, you can let me go now."

"Why should I?" She looked up to see that half-smile of his firmly plastered on his face.

Her throat constricted like it did every time he showed that little half-smile. "Wh-wh-what was that?"

"Why?"

She was struck dumb when she couldn't find any logical reason for him to let her go. She blinked at him of few times. "Umm…because I need to get back to work?"

"Nice try Miss Sidle. But you work too much. And you already turned in the paperwork on your case."

Before she could reply, he leaned forward and gently rubbed his lips against hers. When he pulled back she looked at him with a question in her eyes that he wasn't sure if he was ready to answer just yet.

Seeing his hesitancy she quickly said whatever came to her mind. "If you do that again, I'll lower my terms to just the 1 candy bar."

He smiled again. Instead of just brushing his lips against hers, this time he added some pressure and nipped at her bottom lip. She moaned softly when he pulled back and her eyes snapped open. "Screw the chocolate."

Before he could even smile at her remark, her lips were fused to his. He released her wrists and pulled her down into his lap as her freed hands framed his bearded cheeks. They had to come up for air at some point, and when they did Sara buried her nose in Grissom's neck while he slowly rubbed his jaw back and forth against her cheek.

"So…what should we do about this?"

"Hmm?"

"You said you knew what to do about this. So, what should we do about this?"

She picked her head up and blinked at him a few times. The dumb look was becoming quite familiar for her. "Did you just say what I think you said?"

"What do you think I said?"

She smiled. "Do you wanna have dinner?"

"When?"

"Tonight?"

"You and I both work tonight."

"Thursday? I know I have the night off."

He thought for a second. "I have about…uh…I don't know how many weeks of vacation I haven't used. Tomorrow sounds like a good night to take 1 of those days."

"Great. Your place, 7:30." She smiled and wiggled off his lap. When she opened the door to leave, she found Catherine on the other side getting ready to knock; a folder jammed under 1 arm.

As Catherine stared at Sara in surprise a smirk began to tug at the corners of her mouth. "Sara, you might want to use some concealer on that beard burn."

Sara clapped a hand to her raw pink cheek and Catherine watched as she ran for the locker room. When she turned back to Grissom's office she slowly clapped her hands 3 times before dropping the folder on his desk.

"I see you finally took your head out of that goddamn microscope and did something about you and Sara."

She reached over with a tissue and wiped the corner of his mouth. "Next time you see Sara, tell her she needs to wear that neutral color lipstick I gave her. Glossy pink just isn't your color."

Grissom's face flushed a violent red.

"Oh, and Greg passed his last proficiency. Just so you know." She tossed over her shoulder as she left.

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Sigh…If only. Should I write a sequel? Please review. Preferably no flames, but I'll take what I can get.


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